Liverpool all-time great Steven Gerrard admitted it was a “pleasure” to play alongside Roberto Firmino in a post-season friendly.
The friendly match saw Liverpool face Sydney FC on Wednesday and the Merseysiders ran out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Daniel Sturridge, Alberto Moreno and Firmino.
Gerrard featured for 45 minutes for the Reds, and revealed after the game that he wished he had played alongside the Brazilian, 25, during his playing career.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he said: “To play with Firmino, especially, was an absolute pleasure. I would have loved to have played with him for a couple of years.
“He’s a very intelligent footballer. He’s on that same wavelength – he sees things. There are players and there are levels and he’s absolutely top level.”
Gerrard is now employed as a youth coach by the club he spent 17 seasons at as a player, making more then 700 league and cup appearances.
The 36-year-old left Liverpool in May 2015, only two months before Firmino arrived at the club from Hoffenheim, completing a £29million switch.
The Brazilian was a mainstay in Jurgen Klopp’s side this term, and he made 41 appearances in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing 11 assists.
He has now spent three full seasons at Anfield and has become a key player, overall he has played 90 league and cup games for the club, and he has 23 goals to his name, as well as 22 assists.
Firmino, who has 13 Brazil caps to his name, has become a regular for the side in the past year, and featured in four of their eight most recent World Cup qualifiers.